Heavenly Father, for thousands of years, the story of humanity is that though we think we know better than you,
though we kick and resist your ways, the story of the world reminds us again and again that you are God and we are not.
That you are great and just, that your ways are perfect and right, and that in trusting you we find life.
Father, we find freedom and wholeness, and our hearts find the rest and the peace which they long for.
Oh sovereign God, we confess that Lord, you are right and your word is always right.
Father, help us to trust you.
Father, we believe you, but oh help our unbelief.
We trust you, but forgive us and help us in our lack of trust.
Father, we desire to love you more, but oh forgive us for how cold and stingy our love towards you can often be.
Father, help us, we pray.
Father, as we come to your word now, we ask that you speak to us from your word.
We confess that revelation is confusing, it's difficult, it's difficult to understand, it's difficult to receive.
Father, we ask that you open up your word to us, even as it's read to us this morning, may it make sense to us.
May we see and understand what you want us to see and you want us to understand.
God, as we study it together, we pray that we will be truly blessed by your word and find life in your word, even as we are blessed in you and find life in you.
Lord, let your word lead us to you this morning.
As we look at our role as a church in the midst of a broken and difficult world, I pray God this morning speak to us.
That we will know with conviction and certainty what it looks like to be faithful men and women following Jesus in the city of Hong Kong in this day and age.
Speak to us today we pray.
Father, today we want to pray for our brothers and sisters across Asia.
For those who are following you in the midst of very difficult circumstances.
Father, we pray for followers of Jesus who are currently in North Korea, in South Korea, in Japan.
We pray for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar, in Laos, in Malaysia, in Thailand, in Singapore.
Father, right now we bring before you Christians in Bangladesh, in Nepal, in India, those in Pakistan, in Mongolia, in Japan, in Uzbekistan, in Kazakhstan.
God, we pray for Christians in Indonesia and Philippines.
We pray for our brothers and sisters in mainland China.
We pray for our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong.
God, we pray that your gospel will go forward in our great continent.
That all across Asia in the years and the decades to come, that hundreds of thousands and millions of people will come to know you.
That you are the one true God and they will find life and freedom in you, we pray, God.
God, we pray that we will be salt to our city and light to the cities, we pray.
We look forward to that day when we stand shoulder to shoulder with followers of Jesus from every culture and language and ethnicity worshipping you together.
Father, we want to see a lot of Asia represented there on that day in heaven.
We ask for the gospel to go forward and we pray, God, that you send many, many workers into the harvest.
We see that the fields are ready.
We see there are billions and billions of people in our continent who do not know you.
And we ask God, send out missionaries, send out businessmen and businesswomen, families and students and teachers and social workers all across Asia to take the gospel out.
Father, we hear you say, who will go for us?
And humbly, aware of our shortcomings, aware that you do not have much to give, with fear and trembling, we join with our Zion and say, here we are.
Send us, God.
Send us, Lord.
God, may your gospel not die with us.
We're so grateful for the missionaries that you sent to Asia all those years ago, who brought the good news of the gospel to us in Hong Kong.
May it not end with us.
Send us, we pray.
Empower us with your presence.
Give us your joy.
Cause your face to shine upon the nations that they may know you.
God, if you do not go with us, then do not send us out.
But if you go, send us in your name, we pray.
For the praise of your great and glorious name.
Amen.
Let's listen to Janet and Victoria reading God's word to us.
Just as they come up, today we've got a long reading.
You might have thought last week was long.
Today is a little bit longer.
We're reading three chapters from Revelation chapter 8 to 10.
But in chapter 1, John says, blessed are those who hear this book read to them.
And so, let's listen to God's word.
And I pray that we will be blessed and encouraged as we do so.
So, thank you, Janet and Victoria.
The scripture reading comes from Revelation chapter 8 to 10.
Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen.
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense
to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.
And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints arose before God from the hand of the angel.
Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth.
And there were pearls of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Now, the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire mixed with blood.
And there were thrown upon the earth.
And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea,
and a third of the sea became blood.
A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch,
and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
The name of the star is warm wood.
A third of the waters became warm wood, and many people died from the water because it had been bitter.
The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars,
so the third of their lights might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining,
and likewise a third of the night.
Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead.
Woo! Woo! Woo to those who dwell on the earth!
At the blast of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow.
And the third angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star falling from heaven to earth,
and he was given the key of the shaft of the bottomless pit.
He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like a smoke of a great furnace.
The sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.
Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like a power of scorpions of the earth.
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plants, or any tree,
but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them.
And their torment was like a torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.
And in those days, people will seek death and will not find it.
It will long to die, but death will flee from them.
In appearance, the locusts were like horses prepared for battle.
On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold.
Their faces were like human faces, their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lion's teeth.
They had breastplates like breastplates of iron,
and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.
They have tails and stings like scorpions,
and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.
They have as king over them the angel of the bottleness pit.
His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
The first rule has passed.
Behold, two rules are still to come.
The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues,
did not repent of the works of their hands,
nor give up worshipping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood,
which cannot see or hear or walk,
nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Then I saw an other mighty angel coming down from heaven,
wrapped in the cloud with a rainbow over his head,
and his face was like the sun and his legs like pillars of fire.
He had a little scroll open in his hand,
and he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land
and called out with a loud voice like a lion rolling.
When he called out, the seven thunders sounded,
and when the seven thunders had sounded,
I was about to write,
but I heard a voice from heaven saying,
Seal up what the seven thunders have said,
and do not write it down.
And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land
raised his right hand to heaven
and swore by him who lives forever and ever,
who created heaven and what is in it,
the earth and what is in it,
and the sea and what is in it,
that there would be no more delay.
But that in the days of the trumpet call
to be sounded by the seventh angel,
the mystery of God will be fulfilled,
just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven
spoke to me again, saying,
Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel
who is standing on the sea and on the land.
So I went to the angel and told him
to give me the little scroll.
And he said to me,
Take and eat it.
It will make your stomach bitter,
but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.
And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel
and ate it.
It was sweet as honey in my mouth.
But when I had eaten it,
my stomach was made bitter.
And I was told,
You must again prophesy about many peoples
and nations and languages and kings.
This is the word of God.
Okay.
Great.
Thank you, Janet and Victoria.
We skipped a little section in the middle.
If you were following on your phone or something
and you got lost,
we skipped a little section.
But primarily,
there were three long chapters there
in the book of Revelation.
And we are working our way through this book of Revelation.
And if you are new to church,
or I guess even if you are not that new to church,
we are in the middle stages of this book.
And Revelation is full of imagery and symbolism.
And we are working our way through it.
And as we do so,
we are hopefully seeing
that the gospel is far richer and deeper
than maybe we first experienced.
But also,
we are learning there is more to God
and who He is
and the way that He is leading
and ruling the world
than we first experienced.
And so in chapter 1,
John writes and he says,
blessed are those who read this book
and those who hear this book.
And so our hope is
as we work through this stuff,
as challenging as it is,
we will be blessed.
We won't just understand with our minds
the imagery and the symbolism.
We pray that our hearts
will be encouraged and strengthened
as we work through this.
Now,
last week we looked at chapter 6 and 7.
And in those chapters,
there was this picture
of this scroll
that is rolled up
and there are these seven seals,
wax seals,
on the scroll.
And each time a wax seal
is broken off,
some event in the story of the world
is portrayed or spoken of.
And then we saw
in between the sixth
and the seventh seal,
there's this interlude.
And in the interlude,
Jesus speaks to John
and He wants to give him a message.
And the message we saw last week was,
though there is chaos
and calamity in the world,
though the world is full
of all these strange things
and disaster,
God promises that His people
will be kept safe,
will be sealed,
will be guaranteed
to be kept in His hands
until they reach glory
on the other side.
And so God says,
yes, there is challenges,
and Christians aren't immune
from experiencing those challenges,
but God promises His people
will make it through
to the other side
to get to glory.
Okay?
And so what that meant for us
is that the Christian
gets to live with this
unbelievable hope
and confidence
because our security
and our assurance
and our confidence
aren't found
in the circumstances around us.
They're not found in ourselves.
They're found in Him
who is seated on the throne.
And so that's what we looked at last week.
Now in today's passage,
we get to the seven of the second,
sorry,
of these series of the seven events.
Last week was the seven wax seals
that are broken off this parchment.
Today we get to these seven trumpets
that are blown.
And as we said before,
this isn't meant to be
a chronological account.
It's not like this happened
and now we get to stage B
and then stage C.
Rather, this is a multi-layered,
multi-angled,
multi-perspectival approach
on the story of the world.
Okay?
I don't know how you translate
multi-perspectival into Cantonese,
but I'm sure there's a way of doing that.
Okay, so let's dive in
and see what's happening here.
In chapter six,
we saw last week,
John's vision of the story of the world.
Every time a seal is broken,
something happens
and the same thing happens here.
Look at chapter eight,
verses seven to 11 with me.
It says,
the first angel blew his trumpet
and there followed hail and fire
mixed with blood
and these were thrown upon the earth.
A third of the earth was burnt up
and a third of the trees were burnt up
and all the green grass was burnt up.
Verse eight,
the second seal blew his trumpet
and something like a great mountain
burning with fire
was thrown into the sea
and a third of the sea became like blood.
A third of the living creatures died
and the ships were destroyed.
The third angel blew his trumpet
and a great star fell from heaven
blazing like a torch,
et cetera, et cetera.
And on it goes on,
the fourth trumpet is blown,
the fifth trumpet,
the sixth trumpet is blown.
And each time,
some kind of disaster
is brought upon the earth.
Now as we read these,
a couple of things
should stand out to us straight away.
The first one,
same as last week,
is who is it
that's bringing this about?
It's God, right?
Remember last week,
it was Jesus
that was breaking off the seals
and unleashing this disaster
on the earth.
In chapter eight,
it's God,
it's his angels
who are blowing the trumpets.
And what's happening here
is that as a trumpet is blown,
these events signify
God's judgment on sin in the world.
Now it's not God's final judgment
on the world,
that's still to come later,
but these events signal
God's disciplinary judgment
on the world,
and it's his warning
to alert people
of the danger of sin
and of ultimate judgment
that's going to come.
So think of it this way,
when I discipline my kids,
there's a good way to do it
and there's a bad way to do it.
Now when I discipline my kids well,
which I don't always do,
when I do it well,
it's not out of a fit of anger
or rage,
it's not because
they've pushed my buttons so much
and now I just fly off the handle
and do something,
that's a really bad way
to discipline my kids.
When I'm feeling frustrated
or angry,
the best thing for me to do
is to not try
and discipline my kids, right?
But the way as a loving father
that I should discipline my kids,
and like I say,
I don't always get this right,
is to,
when they've done something
which I know is not good
for them or for the family,
is to calmly
take them to the bathroom,
to sit down with them,
and to explain to them
that because I love them
and because I'm for them
and because I want to help them
grow up to become
the kinds of people
that God is calling them to be,
I'm going to inflict
a little bit of pain on them
to help them get off the path
that is currently leading
towards destruction
and pain
and heartache
and to help them
get on the path
that is going to lead
to life and joy
and freedom and peace.
Does that make sense?
I would rather they experience
a little bit of pain
from me now
than one day
they get fired from their jobs
because they don't know
how to show respect to people
or they one day
their spouse walks out on them
because they don't know
how to love someone else
or they one day
get thrown in jail
because they've never been taught
something, right?
And so as a loving father
my job is to bring
a little bit of discipline
in the moment
to help them get on the path
that's going to lead
to life and freedom
and joy and flourishing.
Now, that's what's going on here.
God brings His judgment
upon the earth
and in this instance
it's a form of
disaster or world events
and its job is to make us
to sit up
and to think about our actions
and to come to Him
in repentance.
But notice something else here
and that's that
there's this growing intensity
in the judgments of God.
I don't know if you remember
from last week
we read in chapter 6
remember last week
every time a wax seal is broken
an angel calls forth
and there's this picture
of a rider that comes
and there's some kind of
disaster on the earth.
Well, in chapter 8
in verse 8
it says this
the fourth rider comes
he brings destruction
and chaos
and a quarter
of the earth
experienced this destruction.
Okay?
That was last week.
In this week
how many times
did it say
a third of the earth
experiences this heartache?
Did you notice that
when we read?
I think it's something
like 15 times.
It talks about
a third of
let me find it here
a third of the sea
becomes blood
a third of the living creatures
a third of the ships
are destroyed.
And later on
when we get to chapter 15
and 16
and there's this
next set of seven
events in the world
it says
not just a quarter
of the earth
not just a third
of the earth
not just a half
of the earth
but everyone
is affected
by the things
that come.
So what's happening here?
There's this growing
intensity
of the judgments
of God.
In other words
what John is showing us
is that
as things
that things
ramp up
as it were
towards the end
of the age
which tells us
that rather than
the popular belief
that the modern world
is going to get
better and better
and safer
and more secure
and more prosperous
and that as society
we are heading
for some kind
of social utopia
where everything
is just glorious
in the world
Revelation is actually
telling us
that things
are going to get
more difficult
as we experience
greater consequences
for our rejection
of God
and our rebellion
against God.
John is showing us
that the more humanity
believes
and acts
on the belief
that we are the center
of the world
the greater
the calamity
that comes
as a consequence
of it
and so the progressive
narrative
of our secular culture
that assumes
that the more
we unshackle ourselves
from the tentacles
of religion
and the more
we unshackle ourselves
from the chains
of belief in God
the more we will
experience freedom
and joy in life
that belief
John tells us
and the history
of the world
shows us
is simply not true
that actually
as a society
the further we drift
away from honoring God
and who he is
the more we drift
into the dangerous
waters
of God's judgment
does that make sense
now here's the question
why does God do this
why does God allow
these difficult things
to come upon the world
as a form
of his judgment
well look at what we read
in chapter 9
verse 20
Victoria read this for us
the rest of mankind
those who are not killed
by these plagues
did not repent
of the works
of their hands
nor give up
worshipping demons
and idols
of gold and silver
which cannot see
and hear and walk
nor did they repent
of their murder
their sorceries
their immorality
and their thefts
why does God allow
these disastrous things
to come upon
the earth
the reason
as we said earlier
is because
he is urging us
to wake up
from the trance
that we are in
to wake up
from our self-centeredness
and to turn to him
and repentance
repentance
is one of those things
that sounds
like such drudgery
you might have imagery
in your mind
of maybe as a child
if you went to
catholic school
or catholic church
you got to go
to the confession booth
and say
father I've sinned
this is what I've done
you might think
of repentance
as a form of
self-flagellation
where you beat yourself
and tell yourself
how terrible you are
but actually
the bible says
that confession
repentance
it can sometimes
feel like death
but actually
it always leads
to life
I don't know
if you remember
in Isaiah chapter 30
God comes to his people
and this is what he says
in repentance
and in rest
you will be saved
you will find life
in quietness
in other words
in submission
and in trusting to me
you will find strength
God calls us
to repentance
because in coming
to God
we find rest
we find peace
we find the freedom
and the peace
that our hearts
are looking for
we found that
it's not found
in asserting ourselves
and in claiming
our rights
but actually surrendering
to the one
who knows us
and who loves us
repentance feels
like death
but it always
leads to life
except
in Isaiah 30
tragically
the people
don't listen to God
and so look
at what he says
he says
you were unwilling
you said
no
we will flee
on our own horses
and so I will cause
you to flee
you said
we will ride
upon swift stallions
and therefore
we will be safe
therefore I will cause
your enemies
to be swifter
than stallions
repentance
always leads
to life
I experienced this
in my household
last week
last weekend
I was a terrible
dad
and husband
on Saturday
I was just feeling
incredibly stressed out
about everything
that was going on
in Hong Kong
and the protests
and the fact
that live rounds
had been shot
during protests
the MTR station
everything was going on
and in addition to that
I was preaching
last Sunday
and I didn't feel ready
for preaching
and so on Saturday morning
I'm still trying to get
my head around
where we're going
and all that meant
that I was just
a terrible man
in the house
and my kids
asked me something
and I would snap
back at them
and Claire was
trying to give me space
and I just wasn't great
and so on Saturday night
we go to some
friends house
some new friends
that we met
this lady on the bus
and we've become
friends with her
we go to their house
for dinner
and our kids
I'm like stressed out
and our kids
are standing on things
and knocking things over
and I just lost it
right
and so I said
some things
I shouldn't have said
and I responded
the way I shouldn't
have responded
and I could see
I just crushed
my daughter
and so that night
they go to bed
Claire goes to bed
and I'm feeling
like an idiot
and so I wake up
on Sunday morning
trying to get my head
around preaching
and on the way
to church
I'm walking
and I'm holding
Sierra's hand
and I say
Sierra I've got to
tell you something
I've got to say
I'm so sorry
I haven't been a great dad
will you please
forgive me
and I could see
my seven year old's
heart
and her smile
just like
the ice just evaporated
and she holds my hand
and she says
it's okay dad
I understand
sometimes these things
happen
isn't that amazing
but the point
is this
the point is
acknowledging
our shortfall
acknowledging
our sin
confession
and repentance
always
leads to life
remember how Jesus
began his ministry
he doesn't start off
telling people
how he can improve
their lives
and give them jobs
and happy marriages
and bless them
with kids
Jesus starts off
and he says
there's a problem
in the world
and the problem
is sin
and I want to help
you deal with it
come and follow me
Jesus' words here
in Revelation
are the same thing
he's calling us
to turn
from the idols
that we look to
but which cannot
save us
they cannot
solve the deep
longings of our heart
because as verse 20
says
they are mute
they are deaf
they are lifeless
they cannot walk
or hear
they cannot hear
our prayers
and the freedom
and the life
that we long for
are found in him
but tragically
as Revelation 9
will show us
many people
do not heed
his call
and do not
humble themselves
and admit
their need
for God
and so God
says
there are these
plagues
coming upon
the world
and my
judgment
is coming
and this
would have
made sense
to John's
first century
audience
because they
would have
picked up
straight away
that so much
of the language
in chapter 8
and 9
resembles the
language
that God
spoke to
the people
of Egypt
back in the
Exodus
in Exodus
chapter 3
4 and 5
listen to
look and
notice how
in verse 7
he talks about
hail and fire
coming upon
the earth
in verse 8
and 9
he talks about
the sea
being turned
red
so that the
creatures die
in them
in verse 12
he talks about
how darkness
has come upon
the earth
and in chapter 9
he calls these
things plagues
and so
John's audience
straight away
would have realized
as they heard
these words
God is referencing
the plagues
of Egypt
and what happened
in the plagues
of Egypt
God brought
these disasters
on the earth
because he was
saying to
Pharaoh
these are my
warning judgments
to you
sit up and
take notice
if you do not
listen to my
voice
finally my
full judgment
will come
these were
God's warnings
to Pharaoh
to listen
and to turn
and to trust
him
but Pharaoh
would not
listen
and so finally
God's judgment
came
not just the
plagues
but finally
the death
of the firstborn
son
and friends
this is history's
pattern
that all
human empires
all kingdoms
all movements
and causes
no matter
how well meaning
they begin
no matter
how well
intentioned
they are
in the beginning
all human
kingdoms
ultimately
become Egypt
become Babylon
become Rome
and ultimately
are brought
to their knees
by him
who is seated
on the throne
whose kingdom
is an eternal
one
I guess
it's worth
noticing
that at the
end of chapter
9
Jesus says
they would
not repent
maybe a question
for us to ask
in this time
is in the midst
of the difficulty
and the trauma
that our city
is going through
at the moment
what could it be
that God might be
asking us
to repent for
as a city
could it possibly
be that
where we as a city
have rejected
God's ways
and hoped
and trusted
in false gods
and idols
idols of gold
and silver
bronze
and wood
and stone
idols that cannot
hear
or walk
or see
could it be
Hong Kong
that with all
our success
that we've gained
and the prosperity
we've enjoyed
that maybe we haven't
loved the poor
and the marginalized
we haven't looked
after those
that are
underprivileged
like Jesus
would want us to
could it be
that God is
allowing challenges
to come to our city
to allow us
to wake up
and to turn
to love our city
like he does
something to
worth consider
and so the question
I want to ask
I want us to ask
is how do we
respond
last week we saw
between the sixth
and the seventh
event
there's this interlude
and God speaks
to his people
and saying
despite the challenges
I will save you
in chapter 10
and chapter 11
we come across
another interlude
between the sixth
and the seventh
of these trumpets
and in this interlude
Jesus wants to
show us something
he wants to show us
what does it mean
to be a Christian
to be a follower
of Jesus
in the midst
of the challenges
of the world
in which we live
how does this passage
call us to respond
and there are three ways
that it calls us
to respond
the first is
in chapter 10
verse 1 to 7
look at it with me
John sees this angel
and this angel
is standing
one foot in the sea
one foot on the earth
and this angel
speaks to John
and it says
that as he speaks
his voice
was like seven thunders
okay
and John
is about to write down
what the angel says
but he hears
another voice
from heaven
saying
don't write down
what you heard
seal it up
and don't tell anyone
what you heard
okay
look at what it says here
seal up
what the seven thunders
have said
do not write it down
the angel
whom I saw
standing on the sea
and the land
swore by him
who lives forever and ever
that there would be
no more delay
but that the days
of the trumpet
to be sounded
by the seventh angel
the mystery of God
would be fulfilled
now
commentators
and theologians
I read a lot of them
this week
don't know
what's going on here
in other words
why does God
speak to John
and then say
don't write it down
don't tell anyone
it could refer to
any number of things
but I think
at the very least
one of the things
we can say
it does mean
at the very least
it signifies
that there are many
things in God's plan
which he has chosen
not to reveal to us
but instead
to keep a mystery
and that as a Christian
our walk
is a walk of faith
you see
sometimes as Christians
we can think
if we obey the rules
we obey the ten commandments
we go to church
we tithe
and we go to CG
therefore we should be blessed
you follow the recipe
you do as God says
and life works out perfectly
and God says
actually there's a lot
of mysteries
you see a Christian
is not just somebody
who follows the rules
or follows the recipe
a Christian is someone
who's growing to love God
and trust him
and obey him
even in the midst
of the mysteries
and the challenges of life
a Christian is somebody
isn't just somebody
who does what God says
and suddenly receives
blessing in their life
a Christian is someone
who understands
that God's ways
are not our ways
and we follow him
and one of the dangers
of the book of Revelation
is to read too much into it
you can read this symbol
and say
okay that's Donald Trump
this thing here
that's Boris Johnson
this is the Apache helicopters
therefore
Jesus is coming this week
and John would say
no no no
there's a lot of mystery
involved still
there's things that God
wants us not to know
but to simply trust him
by the way
I wasn't going to say this
but in chapter 9
you know
there's all that stuff
about the locusts
and they've got teeth
like lions
and hair
and all this strange stuff
one commentator
seriously said
John is prophesying
the Apache helicopter
that is flying like locusts
to swarm upon the earth
that's not what John is saying
John is talking about something else
so the first thing is this
how do we live in the midst
of challenging times
to realize that we live by faith
not by recipes
there's some things
we don't understand
the second thing is this
and that leads to the second thing
the way that Christians
are called to live out our faith
in the midst of the chaos
and the calamity of the world
is found actually
in the beginning of chapter 8
we read it right in the beginning
John sees this angel
in verses 3 and 4
and this angel is holding
this golden bowl
and in this golden bowl
is incense
that's burning
and mixed up with the incense
are the prayers
of God's people
in other words
I don't know if you've ever
walked into a room
where there's incense burning
and you can smell it
straight away
right
what's he saying here
as the incense rises
to our nostrils
and we can smell it
straight away
John is telling us
that the prayers
of God's people
come before God's throne
they come before
God's throne
but what's clear
is that
from scripture
is that for some reason
God's sovereign purposes
in history
are shaped by our prayers
even when we can't see
what's happening
or how God
is responding
so what do we do
in the midst of this time
between the already
and the not yet
where Jesus has come
but he's coming again
in the midst of the challenges
and we don't know
how this world is going
when there's mystery
and we're unsure
about what God's doing
in the world
what do we do
we come before him
in prayer
John writes us
and he says
our prayers come before God
and just like incense
is burnt
and in the beginning
you can see it
but soon it disappears
sometimes we can feel
like our prayers disappear
sometimes we pray
these prayers before God
and we say
God are you even hearing
where are you
what's happened
to our prayers
do they just vanish
into thin air
and John is telling us
that though we do not know
what happens to our prayers
you can rest assured
that for some reason
God in his sovereign plan
has purposed
that history is shaped
by our prayers
even when we can't see
what's happening
and so you know
what that means
for us Watermark
it means we have to become
a church that gets better
at praying
we have to pray
because if we're going
to make it through
the challenges
and the calamity
and if we're going
to make it through
our faith being rocked
if we're going
to make it through
the difficulties
that we change
we have to be
a church that prays
friends if Hong Kong
if it's going to be
in Hong Kong
like it is in heaven
it's not going to be
through Watermark
organizing these
amazing programs
and plans
it's not going to be
through some
slick preacher
or some amazing
church service
it's going to happen
through the prayers
of his people
getting on their knees
and crying out to God
for the well-being
of our city
friends you know
what Hong Kong's
secret weapon is
it's men and women
all over the city
getting on their knees
and praying
friends when we pray
for the suffering church
and we don't see
direct immediate results
when we pray
for imprisoned Christians
it'll be advance
of the gospel
and nations
like we did this morning
and we don't know
how effective
those prayers
in this passage
John takes us
through the door
of heaven
and he shows us
it may just be
that our prayers
are somewhere
in one of those bowls
just waiting
for the right time
for God to tip it out
and to say
now is the day
for me to answer
your prayers
Watermark
we must become a church
that gets better
at praying
but then there's
one last third thing
so the first thing
is this
we understand
that life is a mystery
we don't know
how it all works
second thing
is we must get better
at praying
third thing
how do we live
in the midst
of the challenges
and the complexity
of life
what does it mean
to be a follower
of Jesus
even as God
allows these
the chaos
and the calamity
to come
we'll look at the end
of chapter 10
with me
this is the third
and final thing
here we see
the most important thing
that Jesus wants
to say to us
in this interlude
what does it mean
to be a Christian
in this age
what does it look like
to follow Jesus
between the cross
and the throne
of heaven
chapter 10
and chapter 11
give us the clearest picture
look at what John
says here
verse 8
then the voice
that I'd heard
from heaven
spoke to me again
saying go and take
the scroll
that is open
in the hand
of the angel
who is standing
on the sea
and on the land
so I went to the angel
and I told him
to give me the scroll
and he said to me
take it and eat
it will make
your stomach bitter
but your mouth
will be as sweet
as honey
in your mouth
so I took the scroll
from the hand
of the angel
and ate it
it was as sweet
as honey
in my mouth
but when I'd eaten it
my stomach
was made bitter
and I was told
you must again
prophesy
about many peoples
and nations
languages
and kings
friends
what it means
to be a follower
of Jesus
even in the midst
of challenging times
is that we don't
only receive
God's word
and enjoy it
ourselves
but that we'll
become agents
and ambassadors
of God's word
into our city
and the nations
of the world
look at what happens
here
John is given
the scroll
and the scroll
contains the words
of God
and as he eats it
it's beautiful
he tastes it
and it tastes
like honey
it's just the most
incredibly good news
but as he internalizes
as he swallows it
ah
it becomes difficult
it becomes challenging
friends
at first
the gospel
is the most
wonderfully
incredible news
God loves us
and he died
on the cross
for us
Jesus covered
our sins
by his blood
said you and I
don't need to
stand before him
with our own sin
where once
we were outcasts
now we are
welcomed as his family
where once
we were enemies
now we are sons
and daughters of God
no shame
no guilt
for those who are in Christ
Jesus washes us
by his blood
and now we stand
as white as snow
the gospel
is just incredible
but as we believe it
we soon come to see
that the gospel
doesn't only save us
it also changes us
and the gospel
starts to confront us
and it starts to challenge
some of the idols
in our heart
and it starts to challenge
some of our behavior
and our character
and the gospel
not only saves us
it starts to reform us
and to make us
more like Jesus
as the gospel
gets into us
it challenges us
to see the idols
in our lives
and it calls us
to live a life
of faith
and repentance
but then not only that
as we grow in Christ
and we become
more like him
we realize
we are his ambassadors
and he calls us
to share the gospel
to take it out
to the nations
of the world
to take it out
into the city
and as we do that
as we speak his word
what happens
we face persecution
we are rejected
and oppressed
look at verse 11
he says
when I had eaten it
my stomach was made bitter
I was told
you must still
speak God's word
to many nations
and peoples
and languages
and kings
friends
this is the reason
watermark was planted
nine years ago
this is the reason
watermark exists
this is the reason
we must plant
more churches
into Hong Kong
and into other cities
because the good news
of Jesus
cannot stay with us
it must go out
into our city
and so John
is telling us here
that as chaos
and calamity
and difficulty
comes to our city
the worst thing
that we can do
is to bunker down
and to sit back
and to think
let's just hope
the chaos passes over
so we can get back
to our lives
in the midst
of the challenges
that our city faces
God says
send the message out
go and tell everyone
wherever you can
about the astoundingly
wonderful good news
of Jesus
that he died
on the cross
for you
and for me
that in this life
you will face challenges
but take courage
Christ has overcome
that friends
one day
we will all face
the final judgment
of God
but Jesus has died
so that we can be
washed of our sin
friends
this is why
we exist
friends
this is why
as you sit
on the bus
and you sit
next to the same
person
day in
and day out
and you get
to know them
Christ has put you
in that place
to tell them
about the wonder
of Jesus
friends
as you go to work
and you face
challenges
and your colleagues
face challenges
you've been put there
to tell them
about the wonder
of Jesus
that he loves them
and he died
on the cross
for them
friends
as your kids
go to school
and they're overwhelmed
by the pressure
of grades
and will they get
into university
we tell them
that their life
does not consist
of their grades
and how well
they do
but their life
consists
that they are
in Christ
and that he loves
them
and he died
for them
and he saved
them
and that his
kingdom is coming
John
Jesus says to
John
John you're going
to proclaim
his word
you're going
to speak
the gospel
and that's
going to be
hard
and next week
we're going
to see in
chapter 11
for some of us
that may mean
death
friends
for some of us
here
if you're
obedient to
Jesus
and he calls
you to speak
his word
he may send
you into the
nations of the
world
and that may
mean a
premature death
for some of us
it may feel
like death
as we face
persecution
and opposition
for all of us
it will mean
our ego
and our pride
will have to
die
as we call
people everywhere
to faith in
Christ
and repentance
from sin
Tim Chester
says it like
this
like the
prophets of
old
the church
proclaims
the sweet
words
that are
met
with bitter
hostility
the message
of the scroll
is bittersweet
for it is a
message of
victory
through suffering
all Christians
know something
of John's
experience
the message
of Christ
is so sweet
to us
but this
sweetness
is matched
by pain
when family
and friends
reject the
message
leaving a
bitterness
in our
stomach
you see
in chapter
6 and 7
there are
these seven
scrolls
and we saw
how the church
is an invisible
kingdom
God's visible
kingdom on earth
it overcomes
the challenge
and the chaos
of life
it's protected
but the
message of
chapter 10
and 11
is that the
church doesn't
only survive
the church
thrives
and is victorious
and overcomes
the challenges
of this world
how
not by
hunkering
down
trying to
preserve
ourselves
and save
ourselves
but by
going out
and proclaiming
the message
of the gospel
friends
our city
faces the
greatest
challenge
it has
witnessed
for many
many years
maybe even
a couple
of generations
how are we
going to
respond
are we
going to
sit back
and hope
that it
passes
over
quickly
so we
can get
back
to our
lives
are we
going to
sharpen
our
arguments
and get
ready to
fight
and demonize
those that
disagree
with us
and tell
them that
they're
bad
and wrong
friends
this passage
calls us
to respond
very differently
to a more
difficult way
a more
challenging
way
it calls
us to
examine
our own
lives
and to
see
whether
we've
been
walking
in step
with the
gospel
and to
repent
where we
haven't
where we
haven't
loved
people
particularly
the poor
where we
haven't
pursued
mercy
and justice
like we
should
have
friends
this passage
calls us
to pray
and to
pray
it calls us
to be
radical
in our
prayers
and persistent
in our
prayers
trusting God
in our
prayers
even as we
don't see
the desired
outcomes
knowing that
our prayers
are not
wasted
but they
come like
incense
before our
God
and in
his
perfect
timing
he will
pour
our
prayers
back
upon
the
earth
to bring
healing
and renewal
of all
things
but finally
this passage
calls us
not to
shrink back
from declaring
the hope
of the
gospel
that
though we
deserve
to face
God's
judgment
God
in his
mercy
has come
to us
in the
person
of Jesus
friends
revelation
calls us
not only
to take
heed
of the
warnings
but to
go out
with this
message
of salvation
to all
people
to tell
them about
the wonder
of Jesus
that's the
invitation
to feast
on this
gospel
message
to internalize
it and to
go out
with it
friends
on the
night
that
before
Jesus
died
on the
cross
he too
was
praying
and he
is praying
in the
garden
of
Gethsemane
he's
pouring
out his
prayers
before his
father
and this
is what
he prays
he says
father
if there
is any
way for
this cup
of suffering
to be
taken
from me
let it
be so
friends
Jesus
on that
night
that he
prayed
there was
no mystery
involved
he knew
exactly
the outcome
of his
prayers
and he
knew that
his prayer
in that
moment
was not
going to
be answered
Jesus
had
and the
father
had
the
torment
before
the
world
was
made
how
salvation
was
going
to
come
it
was
going
to
come
through
him
dying
on
the
cross
and as
Jesus
in the
garden
remember
his
sweat
turns
to
blood
through
extreme
anxiety
and stress
why does
Jesus
sweat
turn
to
blood
it's
not
because
of
his
impending
death
Jesus
wasn't
scared
of
dying
if
that
was
the
case
then
many
martyrs
handled
death
Jesus
wasn't
afraid
of
dying
the
reason
is
because
he
knew
that
the
sins
of
the
world
were
going
to
be
put
on
his
shoulders
Jesus
knew
that
not
just
the
warning
judgments
the
full
and
the
final
judgment
of
God
for
the
sins
of
God's
people
was
going
to
be
put
on
his
shoulders
and
he
was
going
to
bear
it
and
Jesus
in
extreme
anxiety
his
sweat
turns
to
blood
as
he
faces
the
prospect
of
the
judgment
of
God
friends
Jesus
did
that
so
that
you
and
I
don't
have
to
Jesus
went
to
the
cross
that
we
don't
have
to
bear
the
guilt
of
our
sin
and
now
Jesus
does
bring
judgment
upon
the
world
but
it's
his
calling
us
to
come
to
him
it's
his
calling
it's
his
waking
us
up
so
that
we
turn
from
sin
and
we
come
to
find
hope
and
rest
in
him
friends
Jesus
Christ
out of
his
profound
love
for
us
went
to
the
cross
that
you
and
I
don't
have
to
friends
will
you
come
to
him
will
you
make
him
central
to
all
that
you
are
and
everything
that
you
do
will
you
accept
his
sacrifice
and
his
sufferings
but
also
his
right
to
be
Lord
in
your
life
let's
do
that
now
let's
come
to
him
in
prayer
let's
pray
Lord
Jesus
we
do
come
before
you
Father
we
want
to
be
followers
of
you
followers
of
Jesus
in
the
midst
of
the
challenges
and
the
calamities
of
life
Father
we
don't
only
want
to
serve
you
and
follow
you
when
all
is
going
well
we
want
to
be
those
that
are
faithful
to
you
between
the
cross
and
the
throne
in
the
already
and
the
not
yet
God
as
you
are
bringing
your
kingdom
to
earth
God
we
want
to
follow
you
faithfully
and
we
want
to
be
those
that
are
not
only
followers
but
agents
of
you
in
this
world
God
I
pray
for
watermark
church
and
I
pray
for
myself
and
I
pray
for
all
of
us
that
Christ
you
will
make
us
and
fashion
us
and
form
us
to
the
kind
of
church
that
you
long
for
us
to
be
that
we
will
be
a
people
of
prayer
that
we
will
trust
you
even
as
we
don't
understand
what's
going
on
that
we
won't
take
our
lives
and
matters
into
our
own
hands
but
God
we
will
come
before
you
trusting
you
Lord
even
in
the
mysteries
of
this
world
Father
we
pray
that
more
than
anything
else
we
will
be
pray
in
your
wonderful
and
powerful
name
Amen